Ptah
The Opener
Symbols: level, plumb-line, bricks, Djed
Depiction: Depictions of Ptah showed him as a man shrouded like a mummy with a beard and a skullcap on his head. In one hand he holds the Djed, the sign of stability, and in the other the ankh, the symbol for “life.”
Mythology: By thinking them with his mind and saying them with his tongue, Ptah brought all things into being. Unlike other creation gods, Ptah created with his mind not with his actions. Ptah’s cult center was the ancient city of Memphis where his priest pronounced that Ptah’s heart and tongue gave birth to gods, kept order, and founded cities. Ptah was the god of architects and skilled craftsmen. In the artisan community of Deir-el-Medina, near Western Thebes, the craftsmen carved ears on the statues of Ptah so that he would listen to their prayers. Path’s wife was the lioness-goddess Sekhmet and his son was said to be either Imhotep or Nefertem.
